The Coliseum
A historic memorial stadium and home of the USC Trojans, once home to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also known as the Los Angeles Coliseum or L.A. Coliseum) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was commissioned in 1921 and completed in 1923 as a memorial to Los Angeles veterans of World War I. As of 2016, the facility had a permanent seating capacity of 93,607 for USC football and Rams games.
- First Era
- 1946–1979
Lore & Background
The Coliseum was the home of the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1979 and again from 2016 to 2019. It was the site of the first AFL–NFL World Championship Game (later called Super Bowl I) and Super Bowl VII. The stadium has also been the temporary home of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1958 to 1961, and hosted games three, four, and five of the 1959 World Series. It served as a home field for the Los Angeles Chargers in their 1960 inaugural season, the Los Angeles Raiders from 1982 to 1994, and UCLA Bruins football. The Coliseum was designated a National Historic Landmark on July 27, 1984, a day before the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics. It will become the first stadium to have hosted the Summer Olympics three times when it hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics, having previously hosted in 1932 and 1984.
In Their Own Story
The sun dipped low over Exposition Park, casting long shadows across the gridiron. Inside the horseshoe-shaped stands, the air hummed with anticipation before kickoff. Fans clutched programs from decades past, tracing the names of legends like Merlin Olsen and Jack Youngblood printed in bold ink. As the band struck up a familiar tune, the concrete walls seemed to hold the echoes of every touchdown scored within them, bridging the gap between memory and reality.
Reader's Guide
The Coliseum is jointly owned by the State of California's Sixth District Agricultural Association, Los Angeles County, and the City of Los Angeles. It is managed and operated by the University of Southern California (USC). The stadium currently serves as the home of the USC Trojans football team and is located directly adjacent to the school's main University Park campus.
Did You Know?
- The Coliseum was commissioned as a memorial to Los Angeles veterans of World War I and rededicated in 1968 to all United States veterans of all wars.
- The original bowl's initial construction costs were $954,873, and the stadium opened in 1923 with a capacity of 75,144.
- The signature Olympic cauldron was added ahead of the 1932 Olympics, and the stadium was briefly known as Olympic Stadium.
- In 1964, the stadium underwent its first major renovation in over three decades, replacing most bench seating with individual theater-type chairs and reducing capacity to approximately 93,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Rams play at The Coliseum?
The franchise played here across two separate time periods, starting in 1946 and ending in 1994 before a second stint from 2016 to 2019. These years cover their original tenure and their temporary return prior to building SoFi Stadium.
Do the Rams share this stadium with another team?
Yes, the venue is also the home field for the USC Trojans NCAA football program. This unique partnership allows professional and college games to be hosted within the same historic concrete structure.
What makes The Coliseum significant to the franchise history?
This location is where the club forged its legacy with legendary defenses and iconic quarterbacks during the mid-20th century. It remains a symbol of the team's roots before they eventually returned to Southern California as modern contenders.
Is The Coliseum still in use today?
Although the Rams have moved on, the stadium remains an active historic venue for various events and sports. It continues to stand as a major landmark within Exposition Park in Los Angeles, California.
Why did the Rams leave The Coliseum twice?
They first departed due to financial struggles that led to a relocation to St. Louis, while their second exit was part of a planned transition to SoFi Stadium. Both moves marked major shifts in how the organization operated within the Los Angeles market.
More in Stadium & Culture
Elsewhere in the Los Angeles Rams universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record